G'day folks new here and this is my first thread, I have an Australian RHD 1990 F150 SC LWB 4x4(supposedly an XLT) I'm trying to find out if the steering column is tiltable.The truck has undergone a restoration at some point that included interior and paint etc. I have read the posts regarding column adjustment and mine doesn't seem to have any of the switching mechanisms mentioned although I will be pulling the plastics this week to have a proper look. It is a RHD Australian truck with Auto C6 on the tree and has the gear indicator on the tree aswell. How can you 100% tell if it's a tilting column or not? Cheers in advance for any replies. G.

Also looking to get opinions on whether this interior is year correct? Any help,advice or opinions would be appreciated, I've just worked out how to post pics so I'll take a couple tomorow for your viewing. Cheers G.

 

 

Welcome to FTE! How bout a better picture of the column maybe from the driver side of the cab instead of all the way across on the opposite side?

Can you provide some better lighting so we can see details? It looks like the usual 80-something to early 90's column although I ain't ever seen one with the gear indictor on there... could just be the same basic column with the indicator added though.

 

Thanks to Freighteain and Dixie460 for the replies and the pics Here's a couple of clearer pics of the column and interior. As you can see ther doesn't seem to be any tilt switches on it an the turn signal is a high beam/flash forward/back. I'm gonna pull the plastics today to have a closer look at the column. Any ideas,opinions and thoughts on the columns origins and the interiors year accuracy would be appreciated, my mates that've owned Ftrucks in the past havnt had similar year or models I can compare and it might be a case of Ford Australia using what parts they had during manufacture or it's had a MAJOR rebuild and things altered then,not sure. As this truck is new to me I'm still trying to get my head around all the model variations and country variations and whether it's OEM or modded.cheers again. G.

 

Wow...they DO move the shifter to the other side. I was wondering that.

That dash is earlier then a typical 87-up dash here. 80-86 style carryover??

Definitely different down under.

 

yeah.that's just what that is there.they kept that setup in the medium duty trucks here in the us for a long while too.ford sure made a lot of those dashes.

looks like they used a whole steering column from one of their imported cars or something doesn't it? it doesn't belong.

 

It's an original RHD Australian truck and the shifter is moved but have a look at where the 4x4 transfer stick is on the left of the tunnel so ya gotta reach WAAY over or get ya buddy to do the shifting in an out of 4WD..

 

yeah i was just thinking that lol.but hey,it works.could be worse.could be 2wd and not have anything to reach for except a chain or ****** strap to get pulled out of the ditch.

 

Too right mate, I don't miss the days of working on a cattle property driving a Nissan patrol with no 4wd transfer...stop get out, hand winch....stop get out shovel jack up,cut timber pack the wheel up, etc etc..lol working 4wd is a luxury where I'm from so is air con..need to fix that too...lol
Thanks for the input so far folks, anyone ever seen a column with the gear display on it like this has? Is it a Ford part you think?

 

Spoke to a previous owner yesterday who sent me a few pics of the interior and exterior if the truck and by all the evidence I can see under the dash and behind the plastics it's an original,year correct truck that's in modified except for two tone exterior paint(original top colour,aftermarket silver lower section). Best most original vehicle I've ever owned. Thanks for the input an suggestions, I'm off to try and find threads with column upgrades to tilting now ;-) G.

 

Your truck may already have a tilt wheel, because some people are unaware that...

1978/91 F100/350, Bronco & Econoline: Tilt wheel operates by pressing the T/S handle forward.

Beginning in 1992, there's a separate lever that operates the tilt wheel. It's located adjacent to the T/S handle.

btw: All 1967/80 and some 1981/91 Passenger Car tilt wheels operate the same way as these 1978/91's.

Coupla years ago, a pal of mine who owns a 1969 Mustang Mach I that he bought new...said he wished it had a tilt wheel.

I gazed at the T/S handle, noticing the large gap below where it threads into the column, reached in, pressed it forward and VOILA .. the wheel popped up!

 

Awesome, now to find one RHD. Thanks numberdummy.

 

Got to replace this column to gain room for legs under wheel before I start chopping seat brackets etc.

 

Fella at work tonight knows more than a thing or two about Australian Fords so I showed him a picture of the column/wheel and straight away says 'XF/XE FALCON' (Australian sedan) and after searching it doesn't apear there's a tilting version of this so I've got a lot of research to do to work out what's gonna give me extra room without too much modding to an original vehicle. If I change the wheel to a smaller diameter one (350mm) that'll give me roughly 1"1/2 more space,then if I chop the seat frame down I might get another 1"...not exactly massive gains..another option is to change the seat for something lower..
Gotta to more searching on RHD tilting columns.. Found and old thread on here that's been real helpful: 1992 Aussie barn find.. Very help full hoping to find more on similar trucks..

 

On the newer Ford vehicles, there is a lever at the bottom of the column that when pulled down, the column can be moved up/down, and this also allows the wheel to telescope.

I've owned several 1950/60's British cars, one of them (either a Jag XK160 or a Cloud II Roller, I can't recall which) had a flange between the wheel and the column, that when turned, the wheel could telescope.

This column has a similar looking flange.